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Having been part of the memorable draw with the Kiwis in last year’s Four Nations competition, the Robins pair are keen to rip up the script once more. Back-rower Kavanagh and half-back Addy will both start, as well as young KR winger Will Oakes, as Steve McCormack’s men bid for a World Cup shock.

“Tonga are the team that everyone wants to see, aren’t they? They’ve got big players who have defected from other national sides such as Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo, and everyone is raving about them. Having said that, nobody is giving us a chance,” Kavanagh told the Mail.

“People think Tonga and the other teams in our group just have to turn up and they’ll win but that won’t be the case. Going back to last year’s Four Nations, and the Kiwis, I don’t think, gave us any respect. We had the belief that we could go toe to toe with them and we snatched a draw, it was huge.

“We’ve been training in a heat chamber this week to acclimatise, and hopefully Tonga’s big boys will tire from the warm weather and our ball-players can unlock the defence. It’s just about keeping our ball on our own terms and we’ll go well.”

Hull KR's Ben Kavanagh

Addy, who has just completed his debut season at KCOM Craven Park with Kavanagh, says the Bravehearts must thrive from their underdogs tag.

“The Tests aren’t easy and neither is our group but we’re looking forward to it,” he added. “We’re just looking to mix it up. Every year we are labelled as the underdogs but we thrive from that.

“Teams such as England and New Zealand link up four times a year but us boys just get together during tours. We’re so close, though.”